Guy_Simpson Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2011 Posts: 3 Location: London, UK Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Jul 22, 2012, 2:09am Subject: Question for Mazzer owners
For those of you who own (or have used) a Mazzer doser model with timer: can the timer dial be set to grind enough for one shot and no more?
I've been offered a good deal on a Mini Doser Timer model, but want to find out if it features a 'minimum' grind time setting - so I'm not forced to grind more coffee than I need to. In an ideal world I'd go for a Mini Doserless E, but they're nearly £200 more (which I can't afford sadly).
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,769 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Sun Jul 22, 2012, 11:43am Subject: Re: Question for Mazzer owners
Buy yourself a dark room timer for about $50 used then just use the timer on the grinder as an on/off switch. You will get VERY consistent volume of grounds this way. I ran my Mazzers that way for a long time until I upgraded my grinders.
The built in timer is not able to be adjusted to the degree need to control your ground volume, it's purpose was just to prevent the doser from over filling when grinding in volume.
A lot of dark room timers do not have enough ability to switch a motor on and off so you might need to use a relay that is turned on and off by the timer and the relay turns the grinder on and off. It is VERY easy to make this setup and once you have it, you will be able to set your grind time in 1/10 of a second... over and over again.
My personal feeling is that when used this way, the doser is a great value to you. I have a mod on this site the CBSJ mod, (search for it) to make the doser sweep very clean and when using the doser, you have the ability to grind your beans while using you PF in your machine to pull a shot or while doing something else. Multitasking at its best. YMMV!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
dyno Senior Member Joined: 20 Nov 2011 Posts: 42 Location: Burnaby BC Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Oscar Grinder: K6/Super Mini/Super Mini E
Posted Sun Jul 22, 2012, 3:39pm Subject: Re: Question for Mazzer owners
Listened to these guys and got a Time-O-Lite M-72. Works great with the Mazzer Mini Timer. It also has another plug-in that I run a Preciso off in my caf/decaf dual grinder setup.
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 705 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Sun Jul 22, 2012, 4:56pm Subject: Re: Question for Mazzer owners
calblacksmith Said:
Buy yourself a dark room timer for about $50 used then just use the timer on the grinder as an on/off switch. You will get VERY consistent volume of grounds this way. I ran my Mazzers that way for a long time until I upgraded my grinders.
The built in timer is not able to be adjusted to the degree need to control your ground volume, it's purpose was just to prevent the doser from over filling when grinding in volume.
A lot of dark room timers do not have enough ability to switch a motor on and off so you might need to use a relay that is turned on and off by the timer and the relay turns the grinder on and off. It is VERY easy to make this setup and once you have it, you will be able to set your grind time in 1/10 of a second... over and over again.
My personal feeling is that when used this way, the doser is a great value to you. I have a mod on this site the CBSJ mod, (search for it) to make the doser sweep very clean and when using the doser, you have the ability to grind your beans while using you PF in your machine to pull a shot or while doing something else. Multitasking at its best. YMMV!
Yes Yes to master Wayne you listen! Ok so i it is hard to channel Yoda and make it sound right:) in a forum. I scale the way vast majority of my shots before and after and my major on dark room timer is spot on.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
Thanks for all the replies. I had a chance to play around with a Mazzer SJ today and I'm coming to the conclusion that even the Mazzer mini will be overkill for my requirements. I like the idea of modding the timer though, simple yet clever solution.
When it comes to grinders for espresso, there is no such thing as OVERKILL, the MINI is a solid built grinder but it is NOT overkill, rather it is on the lower end of the scale for very good to great espresso. YMMV!!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
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